Partner Content

To test or not to test?

Companies are increasingly turning to skill and behavioral assessment tests to ensure successful hires, according to Dr. Katherine Jones, an analyst with Boston-based research firm AberdeenGroup. In a report on a survey of 210 executives earlier this year, she notes that such tests are different from “screening” questions, which are simply meant to eliminate candidates who don’t qualify for the position: “The kind of testing and assessment of interest here goes deeper; it tries to measure the potential applicant’s skill, aptitude, cognitive, [and] behavioral and cultural fit with the position and with the organization.”

If you decide to test prospective managers, keep these hints in mind:

Know why you’re testing. A test that doesn’t correlate with the functions of the job is worse than none at all.

Don’t devise your own tests. Work with a reliable provider whose tests are statistically valid.

Review your tests and their correlation with successful hires each year.

Work toward integrating tests with your hiring/performance management systems and make hiring practices consistent across the organization.